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location of bathroom fan

rick12 | Posted in Energy, Heating & Insulation on December 11, 2006 07:02am

Hi everyone. I’m in N.J. and I’m looking for a little advice. I want to install a bathroom fan in my small 2nd floor bathroom. The room has a window and the roof and gutter are just above the window. No roof soffit. My plan is to vent out the asphalt shingle roof. Do I locate the fan in the ceiling center and cut a hole in the roof straight above? I assume that you have to insulate the vent pipe to help prevent condensation forming on the way to the roof. I don’t want any condensation to roll back to the fan in the ceiling. When I had the roof installed I had the roofers install a ridge vent. Although it would be a longer distance away from the ceiling fan, can and should I run the vent pipe to the opening in the ridge? I also have 2 gable vents. Thanks for any advice.

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  1. DanH | Dec 11, 2006 08:38pm | #1

    Best is a dedicated roof vent with a built-in flap. The flap will help prevent condensation and cold back-drafts.

    People never lie so much as before an election, during a war, or after a hunt. --Otto von Bismarck
  2. User avater
    JDRHI | Dec 11, 2006 08:51pm | #2

    Rick,

    DO NOT terminate the bath vent at the ridge vent.

    First choice for me would be a gable end wall if one is available and not too far away.

    Otherwise, through the roof itself using a roof termination kit.

    Oh how they pound, raising the sound,
    o'er hill and dale, telling their tale,

    Gaily they ring while people sing
    songs of good cheer, Christmas is here....

  3. User avater
    Woody78 | Dec 19, 2006 02:51pm | #3

    Not about your bath vent but your ridge vent.

    i just reroofed and am residing w/ Hardie. House had existing gable vents, I added a ridge vent and now have learned that the 2 should not be used together because the easiest source for air to the ridge is through the gable vents so that means you end up not ventilating the entire roof plane down to the soffit, attic floor, or top plate of wall depending on your framing.

    Covering my gable vents up tomorrow.

     

    Good luck

  4. MikeSmith | Dec 19, 2006 05:08pm | #4

    rick... if your bath vent is also a light , i like to locate it in the bath so it is halfway in the tub / shower.. so the light shines into the tub / shower

    for the  termination our FAVORITE location is a roof jack thru the asphalt shingles .... Broan makes a nice one

    we've never had a roof jack leak

    as for condensation... make a short horizontal run out of the fan before you turn up to the roof jack..

    if you let the fan run, and the CFM are correct.. most of the hot humid air  will clear the hose & the jack  and the condensation will be minimal..

     letting it run long enough to heat the hose & jack outlet will uusually raise every thing above the dew point.. except on extremely cold times

    the benfits of exhausting the hot humid air out of the structure outweigh the small amount of condensation you have to put up with

    but hey, whadda i no ?

    Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
    1. rick12 | Dec 19, 2006 07:57pm | #5

      Thanks for your input. Is there a difference between a roof jack and a roof cap?

      1. MikeSmith | Dec 19, 2006 08:34pm | #7

        probably not....

        the ones we usually get are Enameled steel , made to take either 3" or 4" hose / ductMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore

        1. mrfixitusa | Dec 19, 2006 09:25pm | #8

          I've seen something at Lowes or HD but I can't find it on an internet searchIt's called a low profile roof vent. They look like an attic vent but you can connect it to the bathroom vent with a three inch metal pipe.Have you heard of these?^^^^^^

           

          S N A F U (Situation Normal: All Fouled Up)

    2. woodturner9 | Dec 19, 2006 08:33pm | #6

      So how would you do it on a slate roof, brick veneer walls, older colonial?  Any ideas where to get a roof kit for a slate roof?

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